Mothers and Fathers
by SirArthurNudge
Summary: Gaius and his mother visit Palaven. Second in a series of small stories from the alternative future from my other ongoing story, "Crucible." Three chapters in length - may contain spoilers about the alt. future if you squint. :D
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

_Filius est pars patris. _

(A son is part of the father)

"DADDY!"

Victus let out a sigh before he replied, "I am in the office, Tiberius." What followed was the pounding of little feet along the hall as Tiberius made his usual noisy entrance. His five-year old son bounced into the room. His bright yellow eyes immediately locked on to his father and he ran the short distance to him.

Victus sat back in his chair, amused as his son clambered up unaided onto his lap. "You are such a little pyjak," he said to the boy who was making himself comfortable. Once Tiberius had settled himself, Victus's focus went back to his terminal.

"So... what is the matter?" he said as he idly went though some files.

"Nothing... "

"You were screaming at me for something, Tiberius."

The little boy scrunched up his face as he looked up at his father.

"When is Gaius and his mommy getting here?"

"Late tomorrow but you know that already."

Victus shut down the terminal and took a good look at his son. Tiberius was nervously playing with his five-fingered hands, the talons clicking off each other. Victus grabbed them both with one of his own larger paws.

"What is wrong, Scout?"

Big sorrowful eyes looked up into his own. "I just... I just... it would be nice to have someone to play with."

"You are right. But Gaius will be here soon."

"I know. Maybe... maybe he could stay?"

Victus chuckled.

"They are staying for the week, Scout."

"I know that. "

"Oh. I see what you mean. You want them to live here."

The little face beamed up at him.

"Gaius's mommy has a job far away which means she can't live on Palaven. You get to see Gaius anyway when we go to the Citadel or when they visit here. I know it is hard for you, my son. You should really try to make friends at school."

Tiberius's face stopped smiling and drooped into a frown.

"Scout?"

The little boy burst out, "I try! They don't like me! I try and try and they don't... "

He started to sniffle.

"They say I'm a freak."

Victus wrapped his arms around the tiny figure and held him tight.

"Who calls you were a freak?"

"Everyone... "

"Oh, I am sure not everyone says that... "

"They do!"

"Does your teacher, Livia, say that? I don't think... "

The little figure stiffened in his arms at the mention of his teacher. Victus's heart stopped for a moment as he pulled back to look at his son's small face.

"Tiberius... Does your teacher treat you differently from the others in your class?"

"..."

"I am asking you a question, Scout. Could you please answer me?"

The little boy fidgeted. His father carefully placed his hand on the boy's cheek.

"You can tell me. You know you can tell me anything."

Tiberius started to hiccup and began taking shallow breaths as he panicked.

"Oh now. Calm down. It is all okay."

Wrapped up in his father's arms, Tiberius's hiccups slowed and his breathing calmed as his father held him close. When he finally had settled again, his father murmured against his fringe, "I need you to tell me everything that your teacher has said and done... "

* * *

Livia was clearing up from the day's class. It had been a good day over all. Almost all of her charges had been picked up by their parents except for Tiberius Victus. She gritted her teeth. That little... monster. It was the only word she could think of to describe that abomination. Spirits knows she tried to get along with the boy, if only because of her admiration and respect for his father. But every time she saw those hands and feet.. it made her feel physically sick.

The boy sat, hidden as much as he possibly could, at the back of the class where he was playing with some modelling putty before his father arrived to collect him. She glanced back at the putty before something sparked inside her and she charged up to him.

"What are you doing?" she hissed.

His wide eyes looked up at her in fear.

"I... I was just..."

"You were supposed to have all this put away! Can't you understand simple instructions? Is being stupid part of your condition?!"

The small boy shrank further back. "I'm sorry! I'll fix it!"

"You will otherwise you will be waiting for your father in the closet again!"

"No! I promise I'll fix it!"

"Tiberius... "

Livia froze. Tiberius glanced over at his father who had just arrived.

"I...gotta fix this... then... "

Victus slowly walked over.

"Leave it, Scout. Your teacher is more than capable of sorting that out. Go into the hallway and wait for me."

"But... "

"Tiberius, I am not going to tell you twice. I'll be with you in a minute."

The little boy walked out, glancing up at the fear on his teacher's face and the deep anger on his father's. He only remembered his father this angry once before and that was when he had gotten onto the roof of their house. His dad had given out to him for what seemed like ages before almost crushing Tiberius in a hug. Tiberius never went on the roof again.

He sat quietly on a bench in the hallway. At the end of the corridor, he could see the big glass doors of the school and the blinding light of a Palaven day. From inside the classroom, he could hear loud voices, his dad's loudest and angriest of them all.

* * *

It seemed to go on forever but eventually his dad opened the classroom door and went straight to where Tiberius sat patiently. The boy glanced up to see if his dad was still angry. His father picked him up and held him in his arms.

"I'm sorry, Daddy." he mumbled.

Victus looked at him confused.

"Why are you sorry, Scout?"

"Cause I didn't do what teacher told me and then you got into a fight."

His father grabbed the small school bag and headed out with Tiberius, still carrying the little boy high up in his arms.

"The fight was not your fault, Tiberius. I was not mad at you."

"Oh... so why were you fighting? You were really angry... "

"I was upset with your teacher but it is all okay now. You will have a new teacher when you go back after your holiday."

"Really? Where is Livia going?"

Victus reached the car, settled Tiberius into his seat and put the school bag into the back. He slid into the driver's side and started the car.

"Daddy?"

"Hmm?"

"You didn't answer. Where is Livia going?"

"I am afraid Livia has decided to try a new profession. Teaching is not for her, I feel. She is handing in her notice as we speak. Don't you fret, Scout. I will be picking your next teacher personally."

Tiberius looked up at his dad who was focused on the road.

"Oh... "

He sat quietly during the drive home with his hands fiddling with the buttons on his shirt. He was so quiet in fact that eventually Victus pulled over. He landed the car and turned in his seat to face his boy.

"Are you okay, Tiberius?"

"Yeah... "

"So why are you not talking? Normally you are telling me all about your day."

Big yellow orbs looked up at him.

"What happens when you die?"

Victus pulled back a little. His son continued gazing up at him. He gently placed his hand on the side of the boy's head.

"I don't know, baby."

"Oh. Okay."

Tiberius watched the sky out the window.

Victus interrupted the silence that had fallen.

"Why do you want to know that, Tiberius?"

"It's just I think it's better to be alive that's all. I mean some of the kids say that I'm not really alive. They think I'm a robot."

Tiberius held up his little five taloned hand. "But I can feel things. That's being alive right?"

His father pulled Tiberius onto his lap and held him close.

"You are alive, so very much alive. You are just a little different that's all. People always get scared of things that are different."

Tiberius looked at his small strange hand in comparison to his father's.

"I'm not really like you am I, Dad?"

His father held in a breath.

"No. You are not the same as me. You are better in most ways."

The little boy looked up at his father with his brow furrowed.

"But I don't want to be better! I wanna be normal like you."

The little boy stared at his hands. "And the other people don't think I am better. Maybe they are right and I'm not supposed to be alive. Sometimes... sometimes I think that maybe I'm not. All those people can't be wrong, can they?"

"Yes they can. Fear does strange things to people."

A thoughtful look crossed Tiberius's face.

"I don't want to make people afraid. I don't like being scared."

Victus clutched him close.

"People get afraid of a lot of things. You have never given them any reason to be afraid of you and I know you never will."

He held on tight to his son as traffic continued to fly past.

"Daddy?"

"Yeah, Scout?"

"You are squishing me a little."

His father burst out laughing before he squeezed his boy a little bit harder and then let him go.

* * *

They reached their home soon enough. Tiberius clambered fast up the steps with his school bag dangling off his back while Victus meandered slowly behind him, soaking up the Palaven heat before entering the house. He viewed, with a slight smile, the flotsam and jetsam of boyhood scattered around what had been once his orderly home. Even Tarquin had not been this messy but then, he had had his mother to raise him too. All Tiberius had was him and he was going to make damn sure that his son was never wanting for anything.

He found the small "Blasto" school bag discarded in the hallway and he followed a trail of noise to discover Tiberius in the kitchen on tip-toes, trying to reach a glass that was far too high for him.

"Down, Tiberius."

His son turned to him and smiled. Victus patted his head as his other hand reached the glass.

"None of that. If you want something that is too high up, what are you supposed to do?"

"Ask an adult."

"Exactly. So some juice?"

A big smile spread across Tiberius's face.

"Yep, yep!"

* * *

As the sun set on the horizon, Victus sat on the porch with Tiberius curled up in a blanket as he slept on his father's lap. The sky was ablaze with colour which reflected off the silver grass and the silvery leaves. The only noises to be heard were the faint voices of kids playing in the distance, insects flitting around in the last of the sunlit hours and a light breeze shaking the trees. Victus took a sip of his water and curled his arm around the wrapped up and sleeping little boy.

His attention was drawn to a car that landed and parked next to his. He smiled as he recognised the occupant. Shepard got out and waved before she went to the other side of the car. She carried out a sleeping Gaius who started drooling on his mother's shoulder. Victus lifted up his son and put him carefully into the hammock he had just that day hung in the porch-way. He went and took the sleeping Gaius off his mother and put him in there too. He settled the blanket over them both before helping Shepard with the bags.

They talked in hushed tones, exchanging greetings and pleasantries as they worked. Finally he went to get Shepard something to drink while she fussed over the two children who in their sleep had intertwined their bodies together. When he got back, she had taken a seat at the small table and he joined her.

"So... "he spoke softly. "Long day?"

She grinned. "You have no idea."

He smiled back. "You tell me yours and I'll tell you mine."

Shepard gave a small laugh as they both gazed out at the setting sun.

"You are on..."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

_Eis quos amo vivo._

(For them whom I love I live)

"MOMMY!"

Shepard looked up from her datapad and said nothing. She sat with a small smile curving her lips as she rested her chin in the palm of her hand while staring at the wide open door of her tiny office. Eventually the source of the racket found its way around the very small ship to her.

"Mommy! I was calling you!"

She smiled at Gaius as he wandered up, dragging his toy fluffy rabbit with him.

"I know. But I seem to recall telling you how to find me on the ship without shouting the whole place down."

"Oh... I forgot."

He carefully put his teddy in the spare chair, making sure Mr Bailey was seated upright, before he launched himself up on to his mother's lap. Shepard was on her lounger so Gaius ended up sitting astride her midriff with his little legs swinging off the sides.

"How far are we from the hot place?"

Shepard bit back a smile and put the datapad that was in her hand back on to the side table she picked it up from.

"You mean Palaven?"

Gaius vigorously nodded.

"So say it."

"But... "

"Come on! A big scary turian like you can say the word."

"But I'm only a little bit scary... and not really big."

Shepard burst out laughing.

"Just say it after me. Pal-a-ven."

"Pal-a-ven."

"See? Was that so bad?"

"No... "

Shepard tugged him to lay down with her, his head resting over where her heart was.

"I like hearing your heartbeat..." Gaius closed his eyes and began to murmur in time with the beating in his mother's chest. "Lub Dub... Lub Dub... Lub Dub!"

Shepard smiled. Gaius lifted his head to gaze up at her with bright blue eyes.

"So how far are we from Pal-a-ven?"

"Hmmm. Let me see... "

She activated her omnitool and brought up the ship's status. She had activated the autopilot to take them to the last relay before the jump to the Trebian system.  
"I'd say a day at most then we are gonna be there."

Gaius chirped and went back to nuzzling her chest which she still tolerated. She had weaned him from breast-feeding when he was three years old, a bit longer then she had originally intended but it just supplemented his normal food intake well and she felt no need to stop. It had been a long time since he had last suckled but, whenever he felt particularly unsettled, he instinctively went back to nuzzling there. Shepard felt no need to discourage him from that either. He was still just a small boy, only five years old although he insisted on accuracy with his age. He was five and three-quarters. She grinned. He was always going to be her little boy whatever his age and whether he liked it or not.

Carefully she stroked the top of his head. "Baby, what is bothering you?"

His little eyes looked up at her from where his head lay on her chest.

"I was wondering... do you think that Daddy will come to see us when we are at Tib's place?"

Shepard gently squeezed him a bit tighter to her.

"I have sent a message to your dad. You know he sometimes gets caught up with work since he is so busy. I am certain that if he can make it to see us then he will."

"Okay."

"Just okay?"

"I trust you, Mommy."

Shepard frowned at the hidden implication and gently tugged the tiny face back up to look at her own.

"Don't you trust Daddy too?"

The little browplates furrowed in thought.

"I do but..."

"But what, baby?"

The little boy began to fidget.

"Sometimes... sometimes I wish that he would do what he says he will do."

Shepard held him tightly against her.

"Oh honey. He doesn't do that on purpose. There is a lot of things going on. Your dad is... well, your dad is working really hard to make a better world for you. A place where you can be anything you want to be. It is just..."

Shepard sighed.

"... sometimes getting things right means struggling for a long time."

Her little boy gazed up at her. She could almost see the hurt just behind his eyes.

"Sweetheart... your daddy loves you so very much. I know it is hard to understand this now but trust me. It will all be better as soon as he can make it so."

Gaius merely blinked then rested his head again on her chest. She only just made out his tiny whisper, "I just want things to be better now."

Her heart broke for her little boy and she gently kissed his little fringe.

* * *

Landing the ship was Gaius's favourite part of any trip away. He loved being strapped into the seat beside where his mommy was piloting. Sometimes, if he had been especially good, she even let him help with flying the ship. Those times were the best, he thought. Gaius could see Palaven getting bigger and bigger in the window then suddenly they were going in, flying down through fire and heat then clouds. He really liked the clouds part.

Palaven was okay, he guessed. It was always really hot where they went to; a big city with too many people. Gaius was most definitely not used to having loads of people around even though he lived for as long as he could remember on the Citadel. It was just on Palaven they all stared at him. On the Citadel, everyone kinda knew him and didn't mind him that much but on this world... on this world, everyone stared so he would hide his hands and feet a lot.

They landed at their usual spot in the big port. His mom told him that she paid a lot of money to keep this space for her ship and that his dad usually kicked up a fuss to make sure it stayed vacant. She said that his father preferred knowing that they always landed in the same place so he could keep an eye on them although Gaius didn't really understand why. His mom always seemed able to take care of them.

The sun was really high in the sky when they arrived. He sat patiently as his mom shut things down and got their bags off the ship. He was not allowed to leave until the car was ready to go. His mom and dad insisted on it; his mom telling him that they didn't want him to wander off and get lost. He pressed himself up against the side window and watched his mother ferry items back and forth. Finally she popped back into the ship and held out her hand for him to hold. It was time to go.

* * *

She settled him into his seat and then strapped him in. The sun was really hot and caused his skin to tingle.

"Mommy!"

His mother lifted her head to him, sweat beading on her forehead and her dark sunglasses hiding her eyes. She had been in the middle of adjusting the straps holding him in the seat.

"My skin is all tingly."

"Oh dear. One second."

He heard the back door opening and the noise of his mother rustling around for something. Eventually she returned.

"Sun cream it is then."

"No! It feels icky!"

"I know but you need it, baby. Remember what happened the last time you didn't put it on?"

Memories flooded him of painful skin and lots of crying on his part. He remembered his dad being really mad and then had taken Gaius to see a doctor who prodded him with horrible needles.

"Your dad was very angry at me for that. I was upset at myself for that," Shepard said softly.

Gaius nodded meekly. Shepard tilted his face up to meet hers.

"Hey. When you are older you won't need it. And look! I have to put it on too. We can have icky skin together."

He smiled faintly at that as she began lathering him with cream between his plates. Once done with him, she applied some to her own greater exposed and fairer skin. His mother closed the door and went back around to where she had previously rooted around. After closing that door, she finally got into the driver's seat.

"So!" She said happily. "Let's go see Tiberius and Victus! Imagine... a whole week for you and Tib to be off running around!"

Gaius gave her a big grin at the mention of his friend. The car took off.

* * *

Shepard drove carefully out of Cipritine. Victus had chosen to live outside of the main city, close enough to it if needed but far enough away to allow both Tiberius and himself some privacy. She knew the feeling. Once the Citadel had full functionality restored and then been returned to its original position in the Serpent Nebula, she had found a nice quiet home on it for herself and Gaius. The apartment had been painfully expensive and almost too much for her own finances but she had a little help with that. Garrus had offered his own funds to help pay for it with his father insisting on covering the costs for the furnishing of the place. Although it stung her pride, she did not fight them on it. She had needed a home for Gaius to grow up in and the place was perfect for them both, if a little on the expensive side.

She glanced over at the other occupant of the car; Gaius was awkwardly curled around the seat belt, snoring softly. The sun was already setting by the time they finally reached the relatively small house. Victus had once told her that it had formerly been used as a holiday home by his family. For as long as he could personally remember, the pale yellow house with curved windows and doors was where his family would retreat from the city during the hottest seasons. When he had needed somewhere safe and quiet to go with Tiberius as a baby, he could think of no better spot.

As she landed, she saw Victus sitting on the old wooden porch with Tiberius bundled up in a blanket in his arms, obviously asleep. Once she left the car, she gave a small wave and got her own son out of the other side. Victus came to meet her and helpfully took Gaius from her arms, placing him with his own son in a hammock that was rocking gently in the light breeze just near the main door to the house.

Victus helped her get her bags to the spare rooms where she and Gaius would be staying for the week, filling her in on the various changes she had noticed to the house along with the usual pleasantries. Finally he left to fix her a drink while she went to check on the boys.

Gaius and Tiberius, in sleep, had curled up with each other. She gently stroked Tiberius's little fringe, faintly remembering a time when she, and Kate Sidonis, had to partly take over his nursing; eventually getting help from a salarian in figuring out a way of being able to leave the expressed hybrid specific milk with Victus to feed the baby, in addition to the solids he was starting on. He had only been a year old then. She knew that Kate still came over to visit as regularly as she could just see how he was doing. How he had grown, she mused. She tugged the blanket up to cover the boys better than took a seat at the small table.

* * *

Victus emerged from the house carrying a drink for her. She smiled as she saw him take a look at the two little boys snoozing in the hammock before he reached her.

"So... Long day?" he softly asked her.

She gave a grin. "You have no idea."

Shepard could hear the happy tones in his voice as he responded, "You tell me yours and I'll tell you mine."

They both stared out at the descending Palaven sun, the sky being lit up with oranges, purples and reds.

"You are on... "


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

_Dum vita est, spes est._

(While there is life, there is hope.)

Shepard and Victus talked like they always did when they met, at great length about practically everything with the only interruptions being when one of them would get up to check on the slumbering children behind them. Trebia slowly descended before them, casting its last light to them from over the distant slivery hills. They reminisced on old times.

"Do you regret it?"

Victus hummed, "Regret what?"

"Miranda, Tiberius, everything that happened?"

"No."

Shepard turned to face him.

"Really? I mean you lost the Primarchship... "

Victus sighed.

"I don't regret my son. If I were to regret any of the rest of it then I would also have to regret him. And I won't. I don't. I never wanted to be Primarch but I got the job. I did not look to father another child but I did. In the end, I would choose Tiberius every time over being Primarch."

He took a sip of his drink.

"Have you heard from Miranda? I have yet to receive an address to send the pictures and update on Tiberius. He has also been busy making drawings for me to send to her."

Shepard smiled.

"I last heard from her two weeks ago. She is still moving but had told me that she was determined to find a spot to stop for a bit. You know... I think sometimes the only thing that keeps her going is what you send her. Did I tell you that she cried for nearly an hour when she got Tiberius's little letter to her in the last package you sent?"

"No, you didn't. We did receive her response. Let her know that... that Tiberius was so happy to know that she read it and was talking about her lovely reply to it for days." Victus sighed. "I wish I could aid her more... "

Shepard grabbed his hand.

"You are. You are giving Tiberius a home, a life very different to the one Miranda lived. That is enough for her."

* * *

They both turned their heads to the car that landed just outside the grounds of the house. Shepard gave a slight smile as she recognised Garrus. He was still in the clothes he normally wore for the Senate, a little out of place this far out of Cipritine. He seemed tired, his face set into a scowl. Shepard stood up and waved.

"Hey!"

As he saw her, the scowl disappeared. His face beamed with a broad smile and he waved back. Victus coughed and got up as Garrus made his way up to the porch.

"Vakarian... "

Garrus stood wearily, a little way back from the older turian.

"Primar... I mean... General Victus." Garrus swallowed nervously.

Victus snorted before he turned to Shepard.

"I am going to take Tiberius inside. It's time for him to be in bed. Do you want me to take Gaius in too?"

Shepard smiled.

"No, but thank you. I will be in soon anyway. I'll settle him."

Victus gave her a nod with a slight smile before he carefully pried his little boy out of his friend's arms. He left the blanket covering Gaius as his own son muttered some gibberish sleepily before burying his tiny head inside his father's cowl. He left Garrus and Shepard on the porch.

"It is so good to see you, Jane."

Shepard grinned.

"Gaius is going to be so happy. I didn't know if you were really going to come to visit us here. I mean the last time... "

Garrus waved his hand apologetically.

"Senate business sometimes doesn't end when I want it to. Gaius?"

"Over in the hammock."

"Ah."

Garrus moved next to it and gazed down at the little boy before he let out a soft sigh.

"He is getting bigger."

Shepard's grin went wider.

"Don't I know it. I caught him last week on his tip toes almost reaching the keypad to the apartment. Wrex wants to make him a honourary Urdnot. Apparently, Gaius has the 'right stuff' to be a krogan."

Garrus gave a small chuckle. He turned to Shepard.

"Are you going inside now or... "

"Oh, not yet. We can sit and chat out here for a while. I mean it's so rare you get the chance to meet us at Victus's place. How long do you have before you have to go home?"

"All night if I wish. Hadrian has gone with his mother to a relative's house for a sleepover."

Garrus carefully gathered up Gaius who had tangled himself up in the blanket and cradled him in his arms. He padded softly over to the table and took a seat next to Shepard with the sleeping boy held against him.

"You know... I haven't been able to do this with him since he was a baby," he murmured.

Shepard gave a rueful smile.

"I know."

Garrus gently stroked Gaius's tiny fringe as the little boy started to snore lightly and drool a little.

Shepard stared at Garrus. "How are you holding up?"

He glanced up at her, blue eyes piercing her own with their intensity.

"Okay. Everything is going okay. You?"

"Good. How is Perdita and Hadrian?"

"Fine. Hadrian is fine."

"Perdita?"

"I don't want to talk about her, if that is okay with you."

Shepard merely shrugged.

"I don't mean to pry."

Garrus let out a sigh.

"You are not prying. You are just being yourself. Trust me, Perdita is also fine."

Shepard smiled.

"Was that so hard?"

He smiled back at her.

"No. But I still don't want to talk about her."

Garrus edged closer to her, making sure his leg pressed against hers.

"You haven't been answering your messages regularly."

Shepard chuckled.

"I have been a bit busy. Spectre duties never end."

"I know but sometimes it would be nice if you could just drop a quick note so I know you are both alive."

"You worry too much."

Garrus snorted.

"You don't deal with Primarch Marius everyday. He is becoming increasingly paranoid."

Shepard placed her hand on Garrus's who gripped it tightly like a man drowning being offered a chance at rescue. She looked at her hand clenched in his and then flickered her eyes back up to his face. Garrus was staring at her as if trying to memorize her face.

"Are you really all right?"

"It is not easy, if that is what you are getting at."

"I never thought for a moment that it was."

He smiled.

"It was so much easier back during the war when all you had to do to fix something was have a gun and better aim."

Shepard stifled a laugh. "How often did we use that option?"

"Not enough... thanks to you." he retorted with a grin before he turned his attention back to the bundle in his arms.

"Things getting bad here?"

"You have no idea."

Shepard gently touched his shoulder.

"If you need help, all you have to do is ask."

He gazed at her for a moment before he suddenly leaned forward and brought his face close to hers. Shepard's breathing became steadily faster as he gently touched his forehead off her own. He let out a long breath.

* * *

Suddenly a cough and mewl from Gaius had his parents jumping back from each other. Garrus stared down at the boy he had almost forgotten was in his arms. His son had not woken up, instead he moved a little then went back into a deep sleep. Shepard got up rapidly off the chair and moved further away from Garrus.

"That really shouldn't have... "

Garrus stopped her mid sentence.

"I know, Shepard. I know... "

He stood up with the little boy still safely cradled in his arms and stared at her face. "I can't help how I feel... and I know you feel the same. I just wish that things had gone differently."

Garrus coughed. "So where are you staying?"

"In Victus's annex like always. Gives us some privacy."

"Do you think he would be willing to put up with me for tonight too? I just don't want to lose this time that I have with you both."

Shepard gave a little smile.

"No harm in asking, Garrus."

"I suppose not. Perhaps now is the time to mend those fences that you keep telling me about."

Shepard laughed.

"Maybe it is. I'll go and run it by him."

She moved past him and was stopped by his hand grabbing hers.

"I wish... spirits... "

He dragged her back to him before holding her close with one hand while the other held Gaius. Shepard let him hold her as he breathed in the curve of her neck, "I am so sorry about all of this. I am trying so damn hard."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and held on tight.

"I know you are. It is all right to ask for help too, you know. Whenever you need it."

He pulled back a little and once more pressed his forehead against hers. She gently pushed him away from her.

"That is not fair, Garrus. To Perdita and Hadrian, to me and Gaius."

Shepard touched his scarred side.

"If you don't want to be with her then you need to be honest. You know, I... I have actually gone on a few dates with someone. Just dinners so far but he is a really nice guy."

Garrus's face was carefully blank.

"Who is it?"

"A human merchant on the Citadel. It is not serious... not yet, anyway. It is nice to be desired like that again. I am moving on. Look, I know I don't really know Perdita but you did marry her. Perhaps you just need to find that spark between you two again..."

Garrus said nothing but shook his head before he tried to pull her close once more.

She reluctantly dragged herself free of his grip.

"I'll ask Victus if he has room for you." Shepard said with a small nod before she left him.

* * *

Garrus sat back down with his son still sleeping. He gently tugged at the blanket, making sure the boy was comfortable. The sun was now hiding behind the far off hills. He sat in the twilight watching the last colours of the sunset disappear. He tilted his head so he could gaze at his boy.

"I am going to make this right, Gaius." he murmured. "I am going to make all this up to you and your mom. One day... one day we will sit together and I will tell you a story that you will almost find too incredible to believe; of vast machine monsters with their armies and of the daring heroes from all over the galaxy that faced them. And... I'll tell you what happened after." He squeezed his son that bit closer to him before whispering, "Sometimes the heroes win _and_ lose in the end."

He gently nuzzled his sleeping son's face. Shepard appeared in the doorway.

"Victus says he can find room for you, either in the annex with us or a spare room inside the main. You have a choice."

"I'll take the annex... if that is okay with you?"

Shepard smiled.

"No, that's fine. Do you want to put Gaius to bed?"

He looked down at his snoozing child.

"Probably a good idea."

"Great. Our rooms are at the far end of the hall. You should be able to tell which one is Gaius's from all the "Blasto" merchandise."

Garrus laughed.

"He still loves that hanar then?"

Shepard smiled. "He does. Even when I told him that I am a Spectre he dutifully informed me that I can never be as cool as Blasto. Oh, and Victus is setting up some food and drink in the lounge. Once you finish putting him to bed, you will find us in there."

Garrus nodded and Shepard disappeared back inside.

He crushed the sleeping boy to him one last time, nuzzling the tiny exposed fringe. Slowly he stood up and carried Gaius into the house, locking the door behind him.

* * *

He padded as softly as he could down the corridors of Victus's home, noting Tiberius's drawings and photos of the little family of two hanging on the walls with pride of place over far older and more expensive art pieces. The annex was separated from the main building by a sliding glass door that pushed open with ease. Gaius's room for his stay had a little night-light already on. Garrus frowned a little. Shepard had told him that Gaius had gotten past needing that light a few weeks ago. He didn't like the thought of his boy requiring it once more. He had experienced himself the terrified screaming of his young son when he awoke from whatever horrific dreams plagued his young mind.

He dragged back the blankets before he began to take off Gaius's clothes. He gently woke the small boy who mumbled and muttered before his eyes fluttered open.

"...Dad...?"

"Arms up, Gaius."

His son obeyed as his father pulled his shirt over Gaius's head and fringe before replacing with his pyjamas top, noticeably emblazoned with a cartoon elcor. His pants and shoes quickly followed the route of his top. Gaius held on to his father's arm as he then stepped into his pyjamas bottoms and yawned as Garrus pulled them up to the boy's waist before lifting him into the bed.

Gaius looked at him through half-open eyes before the boy grabbed Garrus's hand.

"Daddy..."

Garrus tucked the sheets around his son.

"I will be here in the morning too. Go to sleep, Gaius."

The boy sleepily nodded before curling up under the blankets with only his tiny fringe and tops of his browplates visible.

Garrus stood for a while in the doorway, the warm glow of the night-light casting shadows around the small room.

"Goodnight, Gaius," he murmured before he left his son to what would hopefully be good dreams.


End file.
